1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to toothbrushes, and more particularly to toothbrushes in which toothpaste is applied to the bristles of the brush by squeezing a toothpaste reservoir in the casing of the head portion of the brush.
2. Description of Prior Art
Conventional toothbrushes require a separate toothpaste tube to distribute toothpaste onto the bristles of the toothbrush. These conventional toothbrushes are generally stored in reasonably sanitary conditions but must be placed in a suitable container when transported.
There are a variety of toothbrushes and toothpaste dispensers in the prior art which store and dispense toothpaste from the handle of the brush. Some of these brushes dispense the toothpaste at the base portion of the brush where the bristles are attached to the brush head support. Patents which describe toothbrushes utilizing this method for dispensing toothpaste to the brush include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,221,492, 4,116,570 and 4,201,490.
These bottom fed brushes tend to use excessive toothpaste since the toothpaste must be forced through the bristles to reach the surface where it is useful. In addition, brushes of this type are difficult to clean as unused toothpaste has a tendency to become clogged at the base of the bristles. Finally, these toothbrushes tend to be complicated and not economical for the average consumer.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,725 describes a toothbrush that contains the toothpaste within the hollow handle of the toothbrush. To use this toothbrush, the handle must be opened and the toothpaste removed from the handle and applied by hand to the bristles. Although this toothbrush does not have the complicated designs and cleaning difficulties of the bottom fed brushes, it still requires several unnecessary parts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,110 also describes a toothbrush and toothpaste dispenser where the toothpaste is directly applied to the bristles of the brush. This brush arrangement contains many mechanical parts, is complicated, and is not economical to manufacture.